Tag: Barbecue

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Here Comes the Summer!

We’ve been enjoying a sustained period of warm and sunny weather in the UK recently, and my normal routine has adapted accordingly.

Foodwise, the gas barbecue has been in action in the back garden. I jointed up a chicken and prepared it in a couple of different ways.

The breast meat I diced and marinaded in the Qatari spices I bought at the Souq Waqif in Doha, on my trip there a few months back. After several hours in the fridge, I threaded the pieces on to skewers with slices of red pepper and courgette – see my main photo above.

The Qatari spices have been a reliably good blend that hasn’t disappointed – the meat is turned a golden yellow (which I guess must be the turmeric), and it delivers a spicy yet subtle kick.

It was also great cold the next day, sliced in a sesame bagel with mayo and salad from the garden.

I slashed the thighs and drumsticks with a sharp knife and coated them in a Mississippi Spice Rub I was given as a present. These I am allowing to cool, before taking off the bone for use in a salad.

Musicwise, I have some outdoor concerts coming up that I am really excited about, as they feature some of my favourite bands. First up next week is the Arctic Monkeys, and then Muse at the end of the month. More about these in upcoming posts.

My daytime exercise regime has moved primarily from indoor gym and yoga to outdoor swimming. The Club I belong to has a heated open air pool, with terrace and cafe bar, that is a great resource this time of year. On weeknight evenings I play bowls in the local leagues. Now it’s June, there is sufficient light for us to play until around 9pm, before both teams adjourn to the pavilion for drinks and chit chat.

Whatever you get up to, make the most of summer! Enjoy this feelgood track from The Undertones – Here Comes the Summer.

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Chargrilled Sweet Veg with Feta & Balsamic

Christmas in Australia feels very different from the UK, coming in the middle of the summer. With temperature in the mid-20s C, the only ice you’ll need to deal with is the type that clinks in your martini glass as you relax on the sun deck. It’s more a case of barefoot on warm sand, than Jack Frost nipping at your toes. One definite advantage is having the barbecue as a cooking option while entertaining over the holiday period.

This dish is intended to be served as a vegetable side to a seasonal main, like turkey, fish or ham, and alongside roast potatoes. My photo below shows my prepped and skewered veg from the first time I made this. Since then, as you will see from the ingredients list below, I have added a few further types of veg.

My next photo shows the skewers cooking, alongside some meaty mains. The veg will soften and caramelise on the grill, the edges gently charring over the flame.

Once chargrilled, the sharpness of the feta cheese will complement the sweetness of the veg, with the balsamic vinegar giving just the right amount of sourness in the dressing. See my main photo above for the end result.

Servings

Alongside a seasonal roasted main like turkey, fish or ham, and roasted potatoes, this will serve as an extra side veg dish for up to 8 people.

Timings

15 mins prep, 20 mins grilling time.

You Will Need

  • 1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow pepper
  • 1 aubergine
  • 2 red onions
  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 butternut squash
  • oil to drizzle
  • 400g feta cheese
  • a good sprinkle of balsamic vinegar
  • 9 – 10 barbecue skewers
  • a bottle of craft beer to drink while bbq-ing (of course!)

Method

  1. Soak the skewers in cold water for about 10 mins. This will help stop them burning while cooking.
  2. While the skewers are soaking, cut the peppers and aubergine into pieces roughly 1-2cm square.
  3. Cut the courgettes into discs around 0.5 – 1 cm thick.
  4. Cut each of the red onions into 8 segments, so that each segment is still joined to the root end. This will help the onion layers hold together while cooking on the skewer.
  5. Peel the squash and discard the seeds and pith. Cut into cubes with sides roughly 1 – 2cm in size.
  6. Thread all the veg pieces on to wooden skewers and drizzle the oil over.
  7. Cut the feta into 1cm sided cubes, and set aside till the veg has cooked.
  8. Fire up the barbecue and, when it’s nice and hot, lay the skewers on the grill. Turn every so often until the veg has softened and the edges are nicely charred – likely to be around 20 mins.
  9. Remove from the grill. Scrape all the veg off into a warmed bowl, using a fork.
  10. Add the feta cubes and the balsamic, and give it a good stir so the ingredients are mixed well. See my main photo above for the end result.
  11. Serve alongside the rest of your meal.

Customise it!

Don’t have access to a barbecue? Or is it just a UK summer and too cold outside? Understood – I’ve been there lots of times! Not to worry – roast the veg in the oven at 180c for 30 mins, then mix with the feta and balsamic.

Talking of the weather, this post seems an appropriate time to add this Aussie classic to the ADK Playlist: Crowded House with Weather With You.

Whatever you’re cooking and wherever you are, have a great Christmas!

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Mains Recipes

BBQ-Baked Fish

Our weather this weekend was just ridiculous – 30+ degrees C every day – so cooking out of doors was definitely on the agenda.

Fish baked on the barbecue is an idea I first came across in a recipe book by legendary outdoor chef, Keith Floyd. For me, this was a different way to cook fish and I have done this several times since.

Servings

This is a meal for two.

Timings

5 mins prep, 15 mins to cook.

You Will Need

  • Tin foil
  • 2 fillets of fish
  • handful of spring onions
  • juice of half a lemon
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • cherry tomatoes on the vine
  • sprinkling of herbes de provence

Method

  1. Start by tearing off a large sheet of foil, and brush it lightly with oil.
  2. Place a couple of fish fillets in the middle (I used cod loins, but other fish will do just as well)
  3. Give the fish a topping. This can change depending on what’s in season and what you have to hand. I had a good crop of spring onions from the garden, so chopped these over the fish, adding the juice of half a lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few twists of black pepper.
  4. Then gather up the sides of the foil to form a parcel, crimping the edges together in a pasty-type shape.
  5. Place the parcel on the griddle plate of the barbecue and close the lid. Leave it for about 10 – 15 mins.
  6. We have a glut of cherry tomatoes in the garden at the moment, with all this hot weather, so I snipped off a vine and cooked this also on the griddle, alongside the fish parcel. I brushed the vine and tomatoes in olive oil and gave them a sprinkling of herbes de provence. They look great on the plate and provide a rich, squishy sauce to complement the fish.
  7. Take care when opening the fish parcel as there will be a sudden escape of heat. The flesh of the fish should be in flakes, and some parts of the underside will be lightly charred (see the photo above, taken as the parcel was opened). This is a really nice part of the dish, as it gives it a taste and texture you will not normally get when cooking fish in a more conventional way, like in an oven or a pan. Don’t overdo it though, or the fish will burn!

Customise it

There’s lots of scope for playing around with the topping – parsley goes well if you have it, and also a few capers.

My BBQ-baked fish and tomatoes was served with a few new potatoes and lightly steamed summer green veg, washed down with a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc – dining al fresco, of course!

As for the musical accompaniment to this post, the last time I blogged about a barbecue meal I opted for The Doors’ Light My Fire. This great track by The Prodigy was in close contention, so here it is in its own right, now added to the ADK Playlist. It’s the song every barbecue chef should be humming as they warm up their grill, and guaranteed to get the party going:

I’m a Firestarter!

Hey, hey hey!


Categories
Mains Recipes

Light My Fire

It’s the season of outdoor cooking, so why not crack open a beer or soft drink and get some skewers roasting on the barbecue?

Mine shown in the photo are made from 5 marinaded chicken breasts cut into chunks, one red pepper and one courgette sliced. The marinade ingredients were a crushed clove of garlic, a finely sliced chilli, some chopped root ginger, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, juice of a lemon, a grind of seasalt, a twist of black pepper, a dollop of olive oil and a squidge of tomato puree to give it some colour. I left the marinading meat in the fridge for about 18 hours in a tight lidded casserole dish. Be warned that an impatient lifting of the lid will release an incredible aroma that will have you salivating and invoke an instant craving for hot food!

I threaded the meat and veg on to 8 wooden skewers about an hour before cooking. The skewers had been soaked in water for about an hour to stop the exposed ends from burning up in the heat. Use a basting brush to coat the slices of veg with the residue of the marinade so that they cook nicely rather than burn.

About 15 – 20 mins on the barbecue should do it, turning the skewers every so often so they cook evenly all over. Serve up with salads plus aforementioned soft drink or beer.

After exploring a few options for a track to add to the ADK Playlist with this post, I’ve settled on this classic from the Doors. To any fans of the Prodigy who may be following, all I’ll say is it was a close-run thing, and I guarantee there will be at least one more bbq-related post for you before the summer is out!

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Recipes Sides

Crunchy Fruit and Nut Pilaff

Subtly spiced with cinnamon, gently coloured with saffron, and packed with fruit, nuts and seeds, this summer pilaff will bring a crunch and a zing to your outdoor eating. Serve it as a side to barbecued food, quiche or as part of a picnic.

Servings

Up to six people as a side dish

Timings

Preparation 10 mins, cooking time 10 mins, final touches 5 mins

You will need:

  • a tablespoon of oil
  • 175g basmati rice
  • a few threads of saffron
  • a few grains of sea salt
  • one cinnamon stick
  • 300 ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • a handful of cashew nuts
  • a handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • a small pack of pomegranate seeds
  • a handful of chopped flat parsley, or other fresh garden herbs

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan for a few moments, then chuck in the cinnamon stick. Give it a good shake so that it is gently coated in the oil and is giving off a sizzle.
  2. Pound the saffron and salt in a pestle and mortar till it forms a bright yellowy powder. Add it to the cinnamon with the rice. Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave the lid on. It should take about 10 – 12 minutes for the rice to absorb the stock.
  3. While the rice is cooking, fetch the other ingredients. The only one that requires any preparation is the pumplin seeds – spread these out on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at 180c for about 5 mins max. This will give them an extra degree of crunch, but do keep your eye on them as they will burn if left too long!
  4. Turn off the heat under the rice and let it cool in the pan. Then fluff it up with a fork and add the seeds, cashews, pomegranate seeds and herbs. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and refrigerate till it’s time to serve.

Customise it!

Go freestyle and play around with the ingredients, while keeping within the fruit, nut and crunch theme. A teaspoon of turmeric can be used in place of the saffron if you wish – it will produce the same vivid colour. Substitute other unsalted nuts for the cashews if you prefer or have them to hand. Add sunflower or other seeds if you wish. The first time I made this I used chopped fresh apricots as they were in season and fairly cheap in the shops, along with dried cranberries, before replacing both with the pomegra,nate seeds, which give it a glisten, great colour and have their own special crunch. Chopped spring onions are another useful addition. Squeeze half a lemon over it just before serving, or add a favourite dressing if you wish. Let your creativity flow! Feel free to post a note below as I would love to hear of any other variations you try.